I think the KDKB founders bought the station because it was an underperforming powerful FM, so 93.3 was on South Mountain in its pre-KDKB days.
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KFNN 1510 Gone Silent?
- Thread starter Mikey-Mike
- Start date
I would say this would be a great AM frequency for an "alternative" station (since 93.3 is a de facto "oldies" station sneak previewing 94.5's future programming) but it would take away listeners from the 93.9, the only "current" alternative station in the market. I do believe there was a brokered alternative music show on 1100 not too long ago but I could be mistaken.
If the 1510 frequency were to come back as an alternative format, it would spark memories of those of us who were around in 1980 and heard KDJQ with the same programming daily after 10am. ("AM 1510, Modern Mono For Modern Minds," was the branding/slogan.) If I remember correctly, Johnny Dee (John Dickson) programmed the 1980 format.
There's no way any music station targeting anyone under the age of 70 is getting any audience on AM in 2026...
1440 seems to be doing pretty decent, considering they cover everything up to the late 70's (less than 50 years ago), and 830 KDRI in Tucson (which has a lot of 80's in their playlist) is doing very well for themselves too.
Of course, I'm sure these are only exceptions to the rule...
Both of those stations target 70+ and get the majority of their listening from translators that cover a good portion of the urban core of the market.
The type of format he was proposing would target 18-44 year olds. Those people are not going to discover and listen to an AM signal.
KAZG's numbers have never been really that good but it has two sisters that regularly top the Phoenix ratings (KUPD and KSLX) so I think they're safe for now. KDRI *has* been the exception to the rule as its ratings continually do much better than most other AM outlets. The music on both outlets is geared towards an older audience that may be less picky about its music sources. And although advertising agencies no longer consider distance reception of AM stations to have any value (thanks to @davideduardo for that one), nevertheless KDRI does cater to some of its more distant listeners, particularly those east of Tucson that may not have many other outlets to choose from with emergency weather and traffic reports covering those areas when necessary.
The majority of KAZG's core audience is where? I have to question that.
Most of the Geezer-American Communities in the metro Phoenix area are to the northwest (Sun Cities, Surprise, Peoria) and farthest-east (east Mesa, AJ, and nearby county islands). 92.7 may be somewhat OK in the NW Valley, but out here in east Mesa, they are weak-to-nonexistent. AM 1440 comes in much better here, even at night, but the best signal is KDKB/93.3-HD2. But how many old folks (other than myself) have an HD radio?
I wonder if it'd be possible to shut down 92.7 on South Mountain, and build translators near Surprise and on Usery Mountain in NE Mesa on that frequency? Each might have to be a bit directional and/or lower power, but I think it could be done.
I didn't say the core audience was there. I said the translator covers the urban core therefore having a higher population count.
OK, I misunderstood you. But I think my point is still valid. Why have most of the coverage in the areas close to South Mountain when their audience is mostly in the outlying areas?
Technically speaking, nothing needs to be done with the 92.7 translator since that is legally tied to KDKB-HD2 (not KAZG). 1440 does not (yet) have any translators tied to it.
Yes, you're quite right. 92.7 airs oldies while 1440 is airing sports overflow that would normally air on KDUS, when necessary. There's no need for 1440 to have a translator at this point.
But my point is that 92.7 on South Mountain doesn't reach the retirement towns and neighborhoods that are mostly in the northwest and far-eastern suburbs. These are the folks listening to oldies, not younger folks in central, south (including Ahwatukee), and west Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, etc. where 92.7 currently has the best signal. Putting one translator in, say, Surprise or Sun City West, and another on Usery Mountain would fix that problem. And since there would be little or no coverage overlap, both could remain on 92.7.
I'm going to second you on this and make an additional point. I have cousins who live in Beardsley (a far northern suburb of Phoenix). KAZG's coverage there is not very good during daylight hours (keep in mind that Prescott has a 1450 kHz station that needs to be protected) and nightime coverage is nonexistent. These cousins range in age from 61 to 66 though I don't think most of them listen to the radio much anymore outside of their cars. Anyway, the 92.7 mHz translator of KDKB's HD2 channel definitely doesn't make it up there at all. So, if I wish to listen to oldies (well mostly 70s and 80s anyway), my only real choice is KOAI-FM (95.1 mHz) whose Crown King tower is what? 50 miles as the crow flys north of them. This is why I've suggested in other threads on the subject that Hubbard should consider cancelling KAZG's license altogether and moving that programming to the 1060 kHz frequency now occupied by KDUS, a sports outlet that has no chance in Hades of challenging KMVP, KTAR-AM, or KGME.
I'm surprised Hubbard hasn't done a frequency swap for 1440 and 1060. But even then, the oldies in North Phoenix problem would've been solved had KXEG been able to make it work.
If you're referring to Beardsley Road, then KXEG (and KDUS) both reach this street just fine at all hours.
This is the first time I've heard of a suburb named "Beardsley". Lol. When did this happen? I suppose the main drag is Beardsley Rd., but where would the downtown area be located.
BTW, I would think in the N/NW valley, Oldies listening would mostly be on WOW 95.1. But the more savvy in Sun City West would be on local KSCW-LP, the true Geezer-American radio station!
BTW, I would think in the N/NW valley, Oldies listening would mostly be on WOW 95.1. But the more savvy in Sun City West would be on local KSCW-LP, the true Geezer-American radio station!
Not to derail the thread...
This this would be the intersection of Grand and Beardsley in Surprise? Interesting, learned something new today.
this makes me wonder about AM radio in general..
if stations keep going silent ( and basically shut down), and any viable AM stations have to broadcast over FM translators,
then what is to become of the AM frequency spectrum over the coming years?
does the AM spectrum get "re-deployed" for other uses?
betcha 1060 makes more money and or has lower overhead......... KAZG has at least one part time talent. 1060 may not make quite as much but expenses are less
and if 1440 or 92.7 doesnt cover well, get an HD radio
Its like.. whats the say.. buite the hand that feeds them or stuck in their ways. Youve got an HD with a much bigger signal, try that
i dont think if some radio stations discussed here were run by people on this board would things succeed very well
KDUS is also fed by 100.7 HD2. None of the HD or translator arrangements have to change, even if 1060 and 1440 swap formats. Besides, I don't imagine too many people listening to KDUS after dark unless there's live sports happening (usually never that late). Pretty sure it's all just syndicated programming during the off hours.
But who am I kidding? In 2026 it really doesn't matter what's on the AM since they both exist at this point to serve as primary stations for translators and HD radio. As standalone stations they both would've probably died off years ago.